


Fixing Things

by NeonDomino



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It, Time Turner (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-15 16:01:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29810892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeonDomino/pseuds/NeonDomino
Summary: Teddy Lupin never expected to meet his father.
Relationships: Remus Lupin & Teddy Lupin, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Comments: 4
Kudos: 81





	Fixing Things

* * *

Teddy stares doubtfully at the teenager sitting at the table, eyes wide.

"Prove you're Remus Lupin," he demands, breaking the silence of the room. "Prove it." Because how is his father here? How is this man - teenager - in this house when he's been dead for so long? He looks like the older pictures that Harry passed on to him. The scar is there, down his face. His features are right. His eyes are the right colour. But Teddy is scared to believe it - scared that he's finally meeting his dad, even if his dad isn't technically a dad yet.

Remus jumps. Teddy isn't surprised by this - he snuck into the room with Harry's cloak. This Remus Lupin was sitting, sipping the tea prepared, looking terrified, and ready to fight anyone who comes near him, whilst he processes the fact that he's somehow in the future. Teddy moves the cloak, folding it over the back of the chair as he looks this man over.

This is his dad. This is seventeen year old Remus Lupin.

They've all been banned from telling him the truth about anything, but Teddy isn't going to be kept from his father. Even if this teenager isn't his father. Yet. He's in here - he has someone in his corner, helping him.

"Oh? And who are you to make demands?" Remus retorts. He's not got his wand, and his voice has an edge to it. Shaggy hair falls into his eyes. His shaking hands give away his nervousness, though he's trying to hide it.

Teddy's gaze darts over Remus for a long moment, before he changes his features. His hair changes, turning from turquoise to dark blond, his eyes from hazel to amber. He's not adding a disguise, he's dropping his own. His nose grows a little longer too. He didn't want to come in here looking like Remus, but he wants to say who he is. He doesn't want Remus to treat him like a stranger, even though he's technically just that to him.

"You think I'll trust you if you try and look like me?" Remus murmurs, unimpressed, crossing his arms. "It's not hard, disguising yourself."

"Metamorphmagus," Teddy says, a little hurt. He wants his dad to be impressed. Proud. He pushes that emotion down. He's already rethinking this whole idea to even come in here.

Remus' gaze softens slightly at the hurt. "Sorry mate, I just… I already know a Metamorphmagus. Dora, the cousin of my boyfriend can do all that and—" he sighs. "I'm sorry. All of this is just…"

"Wait. Are you talking about my mum?" Teddy asks, eyes wide. He grips the table. "Nymphadora Tonks?"

Remus' lips curve slightly. "Dora? You're Dora's son?" he asks. "What's your mum like as an adult? Bet she's one of those—"

"She's dead," Teddy snaps somewhat harshly. No. He doesn't want to hear what type of mum his mum would have been. This is already strange and kind of upsetting - maybe Harry was right to tell him to stay away. He doesn't need to break down. He's spent too many years imagining what sort of mum she would have been.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know," Remus says quietly. "My friend, James… he lost his mum recently…"

"She died when I was a baby," Teddy whispers. It's not the same. He bites his lip, knowing he shouldn't be telling Remus any of this, and he has a choice to make. Tell him everything, or stay silent. "Your boyfriend is her cousin? Sirius Black? I… is he…"

Remus grins, his whole face lighting up at the mention of Sirius Black, and that's enough of an answer.

"I'm surprised you don't know," Remus says. "If you're Dora's son, then I'm sure you'd know us. We're going to get married, or so Sirius insists we will when we're out of school and have saved up. He's my soulmate. I never thought I'd ever have…" he trails off, his eyes focused on Teddy. "You don't look like me - your abilities are a bit off, my mouth isn't like that. My jaw. Right colour eyes, wrong shape. The nose is spot on though." He pauses. "It's fascinating, do you have to practice in order to look like someone completely?" Before Teddy can answer, Remus' fingers tighten around the cup. "Wait, you don't know about me and Sirius, which means one of us must be dead here." His voice shakes a little at that. "Or he leaves me. I suppose you can't tell me anything?"

Teddy bites his lip. They're all arguing in the next room about what to do. They should have locked the door with better spells. They shouldn't have let Uncle George stand guard. They should have kept better track of Remus' belongings - wand and time-turner - before Uncle George managed to get his hands on them. They shouldn't have left Teddy out of the meeting, insisting it's for the adults.

Their bad choices meant that George could quietly sneak Teddy in, desperation in his eyes, looking more wild and alive than Teddy has ever seen him as he bargains with Teddy, saying he'll let him into the room if Teddy tells Remus to save Fred. It was hard to say no, when Uncle George seems like a shadow of the person he's heard stories about, growing up.

"This is what I look like without using my abilities," Teddy admits quietly. He gives Remus a moment to process, but the other teen looks a little lost and uncertain at this, so Teddy realises he'll have to spell things out. He doesn't blame him for not connecting the dots. It's not everyday you find out you have a son.

"You know, I've dreamt of this - dreamt of meeting you. But… I don't want dreams, I want something more substantial. So here we are." Teddy pauses and takes a deep breath. "So… Dad... nice to finally meet you. If I tell you a bunch of stuff, you promise to still knock up my mum and make sure I exist?" He's going for a joking tone, but his tone is strained because he's terrified at this moment. Terrified that Remus will reject him. Terrified because he just wants to get to know his dad, even if it's for five minutes.

Remus stares at him with horror. "Son?" he squeaks out.

Teddy smiles a shaky smile, and nods. "Teddy Remus Lupin at your service. Look, I don't want another Teddy to live without his parents existing. We can deal with you shacking up with Sirius Black. Just… I'm not a werewolf, you can't pass that on - promise - and… and just go back and fix things." He reaches out with the time-turner George had stolen earlier. "I can give you this if you promise to protect Fred Weasley. I'm only in here because I made a bargain with George. I needed to finally meet you, because you're dead too. I needed to meet my dad." He feels the tears in his eyes but fights so they don't fall.

Remus looks at it, before bringing his gaze back up to Teddy. "I promise you'll be born," he says softly. "What's your date of birth?"

"We've got to be quick," Teddy whispers. The story all falls from his lips. He's read the books, eager for information on his parents, he's heard the stories. They've taught it all in school - but they know the more in-depth parts. But there isn't time for everything. Remus is here, he's seen the future and he'll believe what Teddy says.

So he rushes. Peter. Voldemort. James and Lily. Regulus. Sirius. Fred. Horcruxes. Death, so much death. It all comes out quickly. At the end, he reminds Remus of his birthday.

Remus nods, a fierce determination in his eyes. He stands and leans in, throwing his arms around Teddy, and the latter feels the tears flowing down his face as he clings to Remus. As he hugs his dad for the first time that he can remember.

"You'll exist," Remus assures him. "I'll work out a way to… I never thought I'd be a dad. Meeting you - here, now… I can't wait." He holds tighter as Teddy clings to him, until Teddy manages to control himself. He finally lets go, as he hears noises out in the hallway. "I'll be a good dad - worthy of such an amazing son, I promise."

"It's nice to finally meet you," Teddy murmurs, tears streaking down his face. Maybe he won't have this relationship, but all other Teddy Lupins from now on will have this, and that matters.

Remus smiles. "Andromeda brought you up well," he says.

"She did until she… she passed," Teddy whispers. "I stay with Harry and his family when I'm not at school. But…"

"What is happening?" comes a shout, interrupting Teddy.

"Leave him," George shouts back. "Remus, get gone! Teddy, hurry up!"

There's a panic out in the hallway, and a scuffle and it's clear that George is doing all he can to buy them some time. Teddy hands Remus the wand. Remus starts to twist the dial on the turner, and as he twists it once, it starts to spin on its own accord.

Everything else happens so suddenly…

* * *

Everything else happens so suddenly.

The door blasts open, the force throwing Teddy forward into Remus' arms. Remus instinctively reaches out to catch him, only for the time-turner to fall onto the shorter boy's head as it slips from Remus' hands. It somehow finds its way around Teddy's neck and spins quickly. Everything around him starts fading and changing, and Teddy starts to pull away.

Remus grabs hold tightly, because he can see that their surroundings are already different and he understands that they're both moving through time now, not just him. He can't just drop Teddy in a random year and have his son feel even more alone than he clearly feels now - he's responsible for Teddy's existence, even if this is a different Remus Lupin's son. It's still _his_ son. It's still the child of Remus Lupin, and he's Remus. So… yeah, somehow he's going to make sure Teddy is safe.

They finally hit the ground, the magic pulling them back so many years causing exhaustion and Teddy stares around wildly. Two teenagers scramble off their beds, rushing over.

"Remus what on earth is happening, you…" Sirius' gaze moves to Teddy. "He looks like you, who is he?"

"Faulty time-turner," Remus says, getting up on shaking legs. He notices that Peter isn't there, and remembers Teddy's words. He lets out a soft sigh. "Went so far into the future that I met your grandkids, Prongs." He pauses as James' eyes widen. "Also, guys… meet my son, Teddy." He gives a wary look towards Sirius. "I didn't cheat on you," he adds. "You… you died and… it's complicated, but I didn't cheat."

Sirius stares and stares and stares and finally reaches a hand down, but it's extended towards Teddy. James helps Remus up as Sirius stares at the teenager, assessing him, gaze darting over all of his features, until his lips curve into a grin.

"I guess that makes me your step-dad," Sirius decides. "Parents at seventeen, my lovely Moonpie. We better get married soon or people will talk."

Teddy stares between the three, his eyes wide. "D...Dad? What… what do I do?" he whispers, scared.

Remus smiles, though he's terrified himself. "We'll get this sorted, but until then - you said you want to get to know me, so that's what'll happen. We'll tell you so many stories that you can bring home and tell everyone. Don't worry, because I'm here and I'm going to look after you."

"We all are," James says, throwing an arm around Teddy's shoulders. "Future-Remus' kid… that makes you a second generation Marauder. Mini-Moony, if you will."

"That makes you family," Sirius insists. "And we look after our family."

* * *

"Edward Lupin, transferring from Beauxbatons," Dumbledore announces.

McGonagall puts the hat on his head, and Teddy isn't surprised when it calls out his house - Hufflepuff.

Sirius is first to jump up, cheering on the younger Lupin, and Lily leans in, grabbing Remus' arm. "Lupin?" she asks.

"Yeah. My younger brother. He…I don't really want to talk about it." He deflects, using the same voice he uses when he's undergone his transformation and Lily asks after him.

"He looks like you," she murmurs, leaning back.

Remus nods. He considers the holiday coming in two weeks and bringing Teddy home to his mum and trying to explain this to her. He has a son. They have no clue how to send him back just yet, so they're pretending that Teddy is his younger brother.

Dumbledore wants Teddy under his watch for his own protection.

It's all very confusing for Remus because he's accepted responsibility for Teddy, and he's not really sure how to proceed. But when Teddy looks over, as though checking Remus' response to the house choice, Remus gives him a thumbs up and a wide smile.

Teddy's face lights up and he smiles back, before heading over to his table. His hair is a vivid green this time, though the rest of his features stay the same as they were before.

From the short conversations, it's clear Teddy is seeking a family. Not one he sits on the edge of, but one of his own - and Remus is determined to offer him that. Because being a part of a family is amazing. And he knows his mum will dote on Teddy, as will his dad.

He can't exactly act like Teddy's father, considering Teddy is only fifteen, and Remus is seventeen, but he can look out for Teddy. Be a friend, and even a brother. He knows his parents will accept Teddy into the family, and then there are Sirius and James, who will help him protect the boy and keep his secret safe.

And on top of that, there's Peter. Peter who can't be trusted, though maybe there's a way to redeem him before he falls in with the wrong side and does his dark deeds?

One day, when Dora is older, they'll explain Teddy's existence to her, and Teddy can get to know his mother too. He's not sure what to do in the future to ensure Teddy's existence, but Sirius has considered asking Dora to be a surrogate for them, but allow her to take on the role as mother, so the next Teddy Lupin will have the loving family Teddy deserves, and the current Teddy will have that, though in a less traditional way.

But the boy sitting at the Hufflepuff table gives him that extra push to succeed. To be someone Teddy can be proud of.

* * *


End file.
